What Employers Want: The Skills That Will Get You Hired

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Barbara Seifert, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Organizations today want employees who have the skills they need and will hit the ground running – quickly. Meaning, they are looking for potential hires that are a “fit” for the organization, not only in terms of aptitudes and abilities, but who have interpersonal skills. Being adept at job tasks won’t mean much – or get you noticed for future promotional opportunities – if you aren’t able to relate and work well with your boss or coworkers.

Here are the top skills that employers are looking for – see how many you stack-up:

1. Communication Skills – not only should employees be able to read and write, to convey their messages assertively, but to listen well. This includes communication through written documents and email, as well as public speaking or presentations
2. Computer/technical skills – employees should be familiar with computers or other office machinery; expectations for proficiency with many applications continue to increase and you will show your value when you keep up with the ever-changing demands
3. Leadership – employees should show initiative and to take charge of projects or people, but should also know when to let others take over, depending on what’s needed. Taking on more challenging work will help you to stand out and get noticed
4. Teamwork – employees should be able to work well and cooperate with a diverse group of people and to share and support team members to accomplish organizational goals
5. Interpersonal skills – employers want workers who can relate well, who can influence and inspire others to in work activities, to make good decisions, to work independently, and to resolve conflict
6. Visionary – employers want workers who have the ability to see the ‘big picture’ or the future direction for the organization; it is about understanding, embracing and promoting organization’s mission and values
7. Goal-directed – workers who have goals, both personally and professionally, particularly when they agree with and promote goals of the organization, will engrain themselves and be an asset
8. Entrepreneurship – employers want workers who will use their entrepreneurial skills, like creativity, promotion, ownership, etc. so they can grow and advance the organization; employees who take ownership for the work they do have higher rates of involvement and satisfaction
9. Personal Traits – it is important to have traits of initiative, self-motivation, adaptability to change, integrity, honesty, ethics and morals, the ability to handle complex tasks, and critical thinking skills

Honing these skills will go a long way towards increasing your SKA’s (Skills, Knowledge & Abilities), which increases your value to the organization and helps you manage your career for life.